The Great Drive

May 30th
Miles: 304
Total Miles: 3359

Los Angeles is an interesting place. There are interesting people and interesting landmarks. But Los Angeles is not pretty. Actually, it’s quite ugly. Everywhere. Unless you live in a many million-dollar palace in Beverly Hills, or on a hill, chances are your home will be in a pretty yucky locale.

That’s why Santa Monica came as a breath of fresh ocean air as I arrived on the Pacific coast. On my way there, I spotted a Hawaiian BBQ joint and enjoyed a tasty and filling lunch of beef, Kalbi, and chicken with rice and macaroni salad – just like the islands. If you’ve never been to Hawaii, you might not know they make a pretty mean BBQ. It’s an an take with a sweeter soy-based flavor, and it is yummy!

Santa Monica sits right on the coast, and skirting along the edge of the Pacific is the famed Pacific Coast Highway. One of my goals for this Great Drive was to cruise along the PCH. The highway runs along most of the California coast, but every now and again it breaks off in more urban areas, as it did in Ventura. Scenic Highway 33 seemed a more interesting drive, so I took a detour. It was a spectacular drive cutting through Los Padres National forest and along the peaks of the Sierra Madre Mountains. The pictures don’t quite do justice to being there in person, but they will give you a taste.

After a night camping at Morro Bay State Park, I back-tracked southward to San Luis Obispo to troubleshoot a squeak in my steering. I left the car at Perry Ford and enjoyed an interesting meal at the Starlet Cafe. They make a mean avocado, bacon, tomato, and cheese omelet (the #12). Be sure to strike up a conversation with the owner’s son, it will be unforgettable.

View May 30th’s Photo Gallery